“Do you suppose I came to bring peace on the Earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division. For from now on five in every house will be divided: Three against two, and two against three.”
— Jesus of Nazareth. (Luke 12:51)

Editor Comments:
It should be noted that Jesus was absolutely not predicting war, as some would try to misunderstand these words, but he explains clearly that he demands a choice from each person that necessarily divides those who follow him from those who follow mans way, even if they sleep in the same bed.

NOT TOO FRIENDLY MAIL

This four-letter exchange started from a seemingly intelligent but angry mother who attended one of the churches where Project Strait Gate did a vigil for peace with justice. 

This mom started out telling how much she resented us. But after reading our response she seemed on the verge of listening. She said she opposed the Vietnam War but sees the bombing of Iraq as a “cause”. 

But after receiving a blunt response from one of our volunteers, who suggested racism might be behind the mom?s war attitude toward the Mideast, she erupted with one of the often heard, inexorable demand: “Take me off!” “I dont want to hear more” or “my mind is made up. Dont try to confuse me with facts.” She let it be known she refused to read the referenced material sent to her, even though she must have devoted some hours to telling us what she thinks. 

The purpose of Project Strait Gate is to challenge those in church who have fallen for racial stereotyping and consider anihilation to be a mission or a “Cause”. We want to reach the rare few in the church who do indeed want to hear more. This house needs to be “Divided”, as Christ Said! -Ed

A LETTER FROM A MOM CALLED MAmabile: 

Dear WHTT
I read your “highly exaggerated” proclamation of successfully swaying the parishioners at North Phoenix Baptist Church. It just proves there are still dreamers in the world.

I attend North Phoenix. Michael Williams who served in the Iraq war and was killed, attended our church. We have many, many young members who are soldiers overseas. You hardly made a dent with your anti-American stance. However, I encourage you to go forward full force because it directly strengthens our belief in the President and the troops. You are too ignorant to realize that the more you protest, the more fortified the “majority” feels about supporting the United States in war.

The mission of the church, is similar to the mission of the United States — improve human conditions worldwide; refuse to stick your head in the sand; have the courage to stand up to adversity instead of hiding behind a protest sign. Dont you realize that YOU are not the ones changing the world? You will never bring about world peace by standing on a street corner. Do you know how ridiculous you look compared to our soldiers? And what the hell do you think youre accomplishing? If you only knew how you are laughed at behind your backs.

I thank God every day that people like you, who merely stand around and talk, are in the minority, otherwise there would not even be an America. My son will enter the Army in the fall and I couldnt be prouder of him. My son will learn how to defend his country while you learn how to hold a sign on a windy day so it doesnt blow away. How proud your mother must be.

Try putting on a uniform and see how it feels to love this country.
(UNSIGNED) from MAmabile 

WHTT REPLIES:

Dear Angry Mom,
Thanks for your letter; we read them all.
I was fortunate not to be asked to bomb or shoot any civilian though many of my friends who later went to Vietnam still think about having done so today. Had I served five years later I might have been one of the 58,000 of those who died. I served in the Army twice, and standing in front of a church like yours with a sign that says “Innocent blood on your hands, Iraq, Gaza?, is a lot tougher than anything the military ever asked me to do. It is also much more rewarding.

Many Vietnam Vets wake at night remembering that they were ordered to kill more than a million civilians, many with Napalm, and they had no choice because they were drafted. In the Gulf War veterans did the same thing, but the difference was the Gulf War military took no more risk than one would have on a mountain picnic in a four-wheeler.

I am sorry that you are angry because someone challenges your churchs irrational racism that allows you to dwell in the illusion that “the boys” are being asked to do something noble when they destroy an entire 4000 year-old culture. Everyone wishes that no American would die. We are sorry for those who have, including the boy who happens to be a member of your church. 

As for your son, We Hold These Truths will be doing our best to insure there is no slaughter in which hell be participating this fall. We do not want him to have to wake with the misery of knowing what he has done, and maybe even be tried for doing it. 

Your sons new career is one of the safest he could take up. A Pacific Ocean swimmer is as likely to be eaten by white sharks than your son of dying in battle. But his safety should not be your entire concern, and if you are wise you will spend a few months studying what is really happening in the Mideast, and to encourage your son to some other career less dangerous to innocent people.

In case you think I am a novice at this, here is what I wrote in 1990 before the first gulf war:

“May God forgive us if, by our inaction, we (referring to my own Baptist church at that time) allow genocide against Moslem women and children and the sacrifice of even our own children. The average Christian could not even tell you the name of the deposed King of Kuwait (Emir Shikh Jabir al-Ahmad al-Jabir as-Sabah) or provide a single reason why we should sacrifice the life of one American boy to put him back in power.”

This is exactly what we have done, not once but twice!
-Charles E Carlson

THE FOLLOWING LETTER CAME BACK FROM MOM MAmabile:

Thanks for your response. Im not angry. And I wasnt talking about Vietnam. I, too, protested that war. Im not pro-war, Im pro-cause. I dont blatantly label all military conflicts as unjustified. I certainly dont use Vietnam as the measuring stick. We will never see that again, because it is that generation who now has children and grandchildren.

As for my son, hes not joining the military to fight; hes going in for the medical training. He hopes there is no conflict while hes in service. But if there is, then he will know what to do. He has received letters from a very good friend, Tom, who is with the 101st Airborne in Iraq. His friend writes that every day he thanks God for America, and he feels so badly for the Iraqi people because they are really very kind, but their lives are so difficult. Tom says the real job of the soldiers now is to represent the USA in the best possible way, to be humanitarian and patient, and try to ease the tension that those people have been under for so long. He will never forget his experiences, and he will be a better person for it when he comes home. Unlike Vietnam. Sorry friend, but what they are doing is noble. They are not politicians nor hard-core Army generals out there protecting the streets, but ordinary American boys who have grown up in good homes with parents who have taught them values. The Army isnt what it used to be. Maybe you should talk to some recruiters and find out what it takes to get in these days.

I pity the Vietnam vets, because they brought nothing good home. They changed nothing. Their buddies died for nothing. But Vietnam was the exception. Victories are not measured in number of casualties. It usually takes time to see the real results.

How could you have watched the scenes that took place in the City of Baghdad and not been proud of those young (very young) men and women in uniform? I felt proud to be an American. You refer to the slaughter of innocent people. Im not sure what channel you were on.

You should not criticize young men and women for wanting to serve their country. Believe me; my sons not counting on people like you to keep away the bogeymen in his dreams. If no one enlisted in the military, the bogeymen wouldnt be in our dreams, theyd be on our doorstep.

Just one more thing that you might find paradoxical. My son decided he wanted to join the service when he was 10 years old. He made that decision standing in front of the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington. Those thousands of names affected him like I had never imagined. He asked me a million questions, and my answers were somewhat bitter. Back in 1972, I had saved enough money for my younger brother to go to Canada, but fortunately the war ended.

You have me all wrong. I hate war. My feelings about my sons enlistment couldnt be more mixed. But there is tremendous pride in knowing my son accepts the risk. You are also wrong about why these men and women are enlisting. This is voluntary, not a draft. They dont see it as going to war, but rather learning how to protect our country and help people around the world. I know that sounds corny, but I know so many young servicemen, and they are all exceptional.

I dont know if youre a Christian, but believing in Christ has nothing to do with fighting in a war. Our church does not condone killing, but rather prays for peace. War is not evil, men are evil, and men bring us to war.

You give the world too much credit for civility.
Im sure your heart is in the right place. So is mine. Good luck.
(unsigned ) from MAmabile

A VOLUNTEER RESPONDS TO MAMABILE 05/30/03: 

I am sending along a web site you need to look at. I am not sure you will look at it since I detect a racist problem you may have acquired against only the Middle Eastern people if we are at war with them. Other wars you will object to, is this correct? Some peoples religious training by “man” has brought them to this equation in our current society.

Please go to our website and read the articles about the current military. The articles are called “Our Boys” etc. I think you will see why we are concerned for you and your son.
A volunteer

AND THE PARTING, VERY ANGRY SHOT FROM MAmabile:

I overestimated your intelligence. What a shame because I was beginning to think you were a rational person. Whoever wrote this response to me is not an American, or if they are, they have very poor language skills. They need to look in a mirror to find racism. That evaluation of me couldnt be farther from the truth. That is merely a projection of attitude.

Thanks for the website, but no thanks. Im very happy with who I am and what I believe. No further communication between us is needed.
-MAmabile

HERE IS ONE OF THE STORIES MAMABILE REFUSED TO LOOK AT: 
Baghdads Death Toll Assessed a Times survey of hospitals finds that at least 1,700 civilians were killed and more than 8,000 hurt in the battle for the Iraqi capital. By Laura King, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer May 18, 2003 http://www.iraqvictimsfund.org/press12.htm The story goes on to explain why the numbers are vastly understated.

(replies to MAmabile in the subject line will be forwarded)

Read “Our Boys” 

To start a PROJECT STRAIT GATE IN YOU TOWN 
click here.